Concrete conveying apparatus



R. L. CONEY CONCRETE CONVEYING APPARATUS June 3, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. '7, 1950 INVE/V'ZUR. OBFR r 1. EE CO/VEY ATTORNEYS.

June 3, 1952 R. L. CONEY" CONCRETE CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 7, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEAITOR.

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'5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 7, 1950 INVFNTOR.

l M e. C W 5 JIM u T T MA R w a m M Patented June 3, 1952 CONCRETE CQNVEYING APPARATUS Robert Lee Coney, Levittown, N. Y., assignor to The Prehy 00., Incorporated, New York, N. 2., a corporation of New York Application September 7, 1950, Serial No. 183,569

1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in the design and operation of pneumatic pressure grouting equipment especially in terms of the flow of materials through the discharge system of the equipment.

In present practice a pressure grouting machine usually comprises a pressure tank, a pressuretight valve for charging grouting material to the tank, a discharge opening and valve in the tank in releasable connection with a flexible or portable delivery tube and means for delivering air pressure to the tank. The air pressure fed into the tank forces the grout out at considerable velocity through the discharge opening and delivery tube to the working area. Pressure grouting is used with great advantage to convey and compact mortar, concrete aggregate or inert material mixtures through light flexible hose or pipe lines into otherwise inaccessible places above or below ground. For example, in many instances the heavy costs of cofferdams can be avoided or the pumping and hoisting of large amounts of materials can be eliminated. Pressure grouting provides pressure injection of mortar compositions of optimum water content, assuring strength and permanency and eliminating the cost and disadvantages of handling surplus water. Although pressure grouting equipment theoretically appears quite flexible in terms of the mortar and concrete compositions which can be handled, it is now well known that pressure grouters sufier the serious disadvantage of limitation in operation to a relatfiely narrow range of particle sizes. Thus pressure grouters generally employ a cone discharge to which a 2-inch pipe coupling is welded. The 2-inch coupling provides a connection for attachment of the discharge valve and delivery hose. In normal operations, 1 A-inch delivery hose is employed so that a 2-inch by 1 /4-inch reducer must be provided in the end of the discharge connection. Where relatively large aggregates are to be handled, e. g. material containing about -inch stones, the 2-inch delivery hose is employed. There are many cases, however, when it is necessary or highly desirable to handle compositions requiring the use of smaller or larger delivery hoses for efiicient operation.

I have found that discharge of grouting mixtures, particularly the more plastic cementitious mixtures, is very significantly affected by any restrictions in the line of flow. In addition to the flow irregularities and plugging difiiculties developed as larger aggregates are employed, restriction in the flow path Where the smaller delivery hose sizes are employed tends to cause such severe friction that only materials of the thinnest consistency of mix can be handled. According to my invention, I provide means for simply and quickly effecting smooth and unrestricted discharge flow from pressure grouting apparatus under a wide range of conditions using discharge lines of varying sizes.

My invention provides, in combination with the usual pressure tank and air pressure means, a conically tapered lower section for the tank which has a bottom opening of larger diameter than the ultimate discharge opening. A second removable conical section is then provided so as to coincide in angle of slope with the first section and which has a discharge opening coinciding with the internal diameter of a delivery hose or tube selected for the specific job requirement. Further, I also provide means for releasably attaching the second conical section to the first conical section in pressure-tight engagement, to make the second section easily removable so as to insure interchangeability of difierent size cones, and so constructed as to efifect a smooth path of unrestricted flow from the tank through the discharge opening and delivery tube. Thus the lower discharge conical section can be readily and quickly disengaged in the field and replaced with an auxiliary section sized and equipped with discharge fittings adapted to fit the actual job specifications. The necessity of attempting to get by with trouble-causing flow restrictions in the discharge section and fittings of the grouting apparatus or by use of discharge hose of insufiicient internal diameter is avoided. At the same time, maintenance of the grouting apparatus is vastly improved. Inspection and cleaning of the lower tank and the discharge piping is greatly facilitated by employment of the detachable bottom cone section.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figures I and II represent a side elevation, partly in section, of a pressure grouting machine incorporating my invention, and in which Figure III represents an overhead plan view of the pressure grouting machine. According to the embodiment shown the main portion of the material tank is cylindrical and is vertically positioned. In the drawings, a cylindrical welded tank in is shown equipped with a manually operated bell valve II at the top of the tank for loading. The bell valve H seats in funnelshaped member 12 and is operated by a hand lever 13 and connecting shaft [4. The tank I0 is provided with an attached lower conical section l5 terminating in a lower discharge opening of relatively large diameter. As shown, conical section I5 is provided with circular flange l6 which is adapted to engage with the flange I! of a second conical section I8 which coincides in angle of slope with conical section l5. Pressure-tight attachment of the two conical sections is effected by means of gasket i9 and bolts 20. While flange l6 may beafii'xed to section'li "by welding, the lower detachable cone i8 is advantageously cast in one piece. In this way the internal radii 20a will he smoothly shaped to insure even flow of the grout without excessive friction on this part of the machine. The flanges are drilled and tapped to receive the number of studsrequired by the A. S. M. E. code for unfired pressure vessels. The lower conical discharge section I 8 is provided with a discharge connection 2|, advantageously cast as an integral part of section l8, to which is attached discharge valve 22 and piping elbow or adapter 23 for attachment of delivery hose 24'. According to my invention a series of lower discharge sections IB' having various dia-iiietr discharge openings is provided so that with appropriately selected discharge valves, pipingand delivery hoses, a smooth and unrestricted discharge path of flow is provided in cooperation with the lower conical section l5 of the cylindrical tank 10. The discharge valve 22 may bemanually operated as by lever 25 and connecting link-'26.

The cylindrical tank it is equipped with an internal vertical by-pass pipe 2? having flexible discharge'fitti'ng 28' and so mounted so that it can se enel seatedover the discharge opening or can be raised clearof the discharge opening by means'or iever shaft 38 and lever handle 8!. In meiow' position of the by-pass pipe the air cur- -envby passes the material in the tank and enters directly into thedis'charge line with full force to test 'ii id ascertain the conditions for the reception of the'g'rout' in'narrow fissures or passages ahdto free the discharge" line of any possible obstruction. Wher i th'e by-pass pipe is liftedoif its-seat thematerialentersthe discharge line to be'propelled b'y-the kinetic air pressure to its desair mtake line through T M. A pressure release safety valve ti is provided. As'shcwn, the cylindrical tank it andauxiliary equipment is mounted ona system of wheels 41a, and leg it.

In operation, the cylindrical tank 95' is'loaded whilev'alves 39, do and bottom discharge valve 22 are closed; The icy-pass pipe 2-! is lowered into se'ated'arrangement over the discharge opening by'r'a'ising lever handle 35. With the exhaust valve 43 open, the tank is filled to a level below the bell valve i l with the'properly prepared material. The discharge system is blown out by closing the exhaust'valv'e'4i and closing the bell valve-l I. The feed valve 46 is opened and pressure'is put on the tank thereby sealingthe bell valve H. The by-pass valve SQ-then is'opened, followed by the'discharg'e'valve 22. For discharg in'g; the valves remain in the same position as for lay-passing but the by-pass pipe 2? is raised by depressing the lever handle 3 I, so that material cafinow entrthe' discharge'sy'steml The mate- Manually controlled valve rial within the tank may be agitated without discharge by closing the discharge valve 22 and the feed valve 46, and by closing air valves 39 and 46. The exhaust valve 43 then is opened and when the bell valve H drops by-pass valve 39 is gradually opened admitting air through by-pass 21 as needed for agitation of the material in the tank According to my invention a smooth path of unrestricted flow is insured during the discharge operation by arrangement of one of the readily replaceable conical discharge sections l8 of Svlected discharge size in cooperative relationship with the comically tapered lower section [5 and anappropriately sized auxiliary discharge valve 22 elbow or other fitting 23 if desired, and delivery hose 24. -The by-pass pipe 2! advantageously is fitted with a flexible rubber discharge fitting 28 of suiiicient size to insure seating over the discharge openings of the various auxiliary conical sections It. My invention, however, permits convenient change or replacement of this fitting. Also as shown, the by-pass pipe is fitted with a flattened rubber internal check valve 59 which is clamped in place between the lower end of by-pass 2'! and discharge fitting 28. The fiattened rubber valve 5% permits discharge of air fromby-pass 2'! butpreventsback flow otmaterial into by-pass 27 tending to clog the air system.

Although I have illustrated a pressure grouting apparatus in which the main portion of the material tank is cylindrical, it is not necessary to use a tank of this shape in the practice of my invention; For example, the lower attached conical section maybe joined to a box shape or any other suitable material tank. Likewise the tank may be also positioned horizontally and ejection of grout-aided in this position byuse of internal paddles Further, incorporation'and use of abypass pipe in the apparatus embodying my invention as illustrated in the drawing is also optional.

I claim:

In a pressure grouting apparatus comprising a pressure tank having a conically tapered section with a bottom opening of larger diameter than the desireddischarge opening; a pressure-tight valve mounted on said tank for charging grouting material to said tank; means connected to said tank for applying air pressure to the top of said material; a vertical by-pa-ss pipe mounted in said tank and extending coaxially into said conically tapered-section; means for vertically moving said by-passpipe; means for supplying air under pressure to and downwardly through said by-pass pipe; substitutable means for providing a smooth unrestricted" passageway from said conically tapered section to a proper size delivery hose to provide the grouting apparatus with proper size prodetermined discharge passageways for varying materials ranging from line wet material to aggregate-containing wet material, saidsubstitutable means including a conical discharge section having a top opening equal to the bottom opening of said conically tapered section and coinciding in angle of slope with said conically tapered section, said conical discharge section havinga bottomdischarge connection of a size. equal to the sele'ctedproper size delivery hose, means for releasably attaching said conical discharge section to 'said .conically tapered section inpressure type engagement to provide a smooth unrestricted passageway to the bottom discharge connection; and valve means connected to said bottom discharge connection adapted to receive the selected delivsection upon downward movement of said bypass pipe.

ROBERT LEE CONEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name v Date Crom Apr. 28, 1925 Kennedy et a1 Apr. 26, 1938 Burch et a1 Aug. 24, 1943 Nicholson Aug. 15, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain May 8, 1924 

